Georgia Department of Transportation
Central Georgia Corridor Study
HPC6 and US 280
No. 2 Capitol Square Atlanta, GA 30334-1002
Robert Hughes Phone: 404-657-6699
Fax: 404-657-5228 Email:
robert.hughes@dot.state.ga.us
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Economic Tidbits of the Central Georgia Corridor
The Phase I study brought out the following bits of interesting information regarding the Central Georgia Corridor:
The 1998 unemployment rate was 6.18% -- higher than the national and state of Georgia averages. Economic forecasts underscore the need for positive actions - including transportation and communication investments - to encourage job retention and growth. Among the various classes of manufacturing, the highest employment is in food, textiles, paper, lumber and transportation equipment. The 2025 economy will continue to be anchored by services, government and retail trade, but there will continue to be a diverse range of freight-generating industries as well. Freight-dependent industries that are expected to grow include agricultural/forest/fisheries, services
and construction. Most freight-dependent industries are actually forecast to lose employment. Food, transportation equipment, lumber, paper and textiles will continue to lead in terms of job creation. Manufacturing employment in the study area is forecast to decline by 10,355 jobs by 2025 in the areas of apparel, textiles, electrical equipment, tobacco and paper. Projected higher output reflects increasing productivity per employee. Certain industries in apparent decline based on the employment data will actually increase their output substantially. The corridor's diversified manufacturing sectors will actually increase their need for, and dependence on, transportation and communications infrastructure within the study area.
...keeping business moving in Georgia
Freight Receivers, Shippers
and Carriers are Heard
Encouraging business to locate within the Central Georgia Corridor study area is vital to its economic health. The freight movers view transportation system improvements to the U.S. 280 Corridor and High Priority Corridor Six (HPC6) as one of the key components to maintaining the competitiveness of Central Georgia. The "major users" of the system (shippers, receivers and carriers) were interviewed and expressed appreciation for the ongoing effort to upgrade many rural roads. They appreciated the responsiveness of the Georgia DOT and the positive action by Chambers of Commerce to actively attract new business to the area.
Seventy-six interviews were conducted to fully understand business location decisions, freight operations in the study area and to guide the study team in identifying the daily problems encountered by users of the Corridor.
Twenty-six intersections were noted for improvement, the I-16/I-75 interchange in Macon was mentioned most frequently.
Congestion was cited along U.S. 280 in the Port of Savannah, and along U.S. 80/SR 96 Dublin to Columbus. Eleven roads were cited as "problematic", with U.S. 80/SR 96 being mentioned marginally more frequently than U.S. 280. Bridges mentioned as needing replacement or rehabilitation included U.S. 441 north of U.S. 280 at McRae, SR 153 between Preston and Friendship, SR 19 north of Glenwood, SR 27 near Sanford, U.S. 280 east of Dumas, and U.S. 280 identified only as "in Wilcox County". Four-lane improvements of the rural highway network were mentioned by many of the major users. Improvements along U.S. 280 were noted, including widening to four lanes. Bypasses were among the needs cited including bypassing the I-16/I-75 interchange at Macon on SR 96.
March 2002 Volume 1, Issue 2
In this issue:
Major Users Heard
1
Accessibility & Viability 2
Economics & Performance 3
Corridor Tidbits
4
Transportation Accessibility and Economic Viability
Matching the Region's Economics with the Transportation System's Performance
Transportation infrastructure influences, but is not wholly responsible for, economic growth. Understanding
the role transportation, social and economic factors play in
economic development is a critical component to the
Central Georgia Corridor Study.
The Georgia Rural Development Council (GRDC)
recommends that infrastructure investment strategies be
based on the economic status or condition of each county in
Georgia. To maximize the economic benefits, key
infrastructure investment would be focused in areas with
emerging
or
growing
economies, with a strong
emphasis on areas with
transportation infrastructure
needs. In areas with lagging or
declining economies, GRDC
recommends better connection
to "regional growth engines",
cities such as Columbus,
Warner Robins, Macon and
Savannah, along with
concentrating on other
socioeconomic
strategies.
Matching
transportation
accessibility and economic
status provides the study team a
way to focus transportation
infrastructure investment where
it is needed the most.
A simplified explanation of the conclusions in the Central Georgia Corridor Study can best be demonstrated
by understanding the following: EVI is the Economic Vitality Index developed by the GRDC. A county can be one of the following - a growing, emerging, declining or lagging growth area. TAI is the Transportation Accessibility Index, determined by transportation facilities in a county roads, airports, freight terminals and rail - and can be classified as Excellent, Good, Average, Low and Poor.
When these two are measured and brought together, decisions about transportation investment can be considered in a new light. A county with a good (growing or emerging) economy and poor transportation access would be an excellent candidate for transportation improvements. Conversely, a county with a poor economy and high access may not need additional investments in transportation but may rather focus on other economic or social issues constraining growth and development. The maps included in this article highlight the study team findings. This information will be used throughout the study to assist in identifying transportation needs that fit best with the GRDC recommendations.
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To fully understand the region's transportation
system now and in the future, it is important to understand
the Central Georgia Corridor region's economics. The
demographic and economic vitality data available on the
corridor suggests that economic development is needed.
With isolated exceptions, the forty-five counties within the
corridor lag well behind the performance of the northern
half of the state on the economic forefront.
The economic data presented in the Phase 1 Report
has a critical relationship with freight movement data in
the HPC6 and U.S. 280 corridors. Regional economics
and transportation infrastructure influence how freight
flows through the study area. Economic forecasts are used
to generate estimates of how future commodities will be
transported over the transportation system. Using this
information, transportation system deficiency - such as too
few lanes, unsafe intersections - are
easily identified. Through this
process potential transportation
system deficiencies can be
identified and solutions can be
encouraged as a matter of policy.
Phase 1 of the study
integrated a detailed assessment of
regional economics, freight flows
and transportation system
performance to understand the
economic and transportation system
interrelationships and also potential
system deficiencies. As highlighted
in the accompanying map, a simple
"corridor" type of movement from
one point to another does not
dominate freight movement in the
study area. Rather it is a complex
set of flows with distinctly different
purposes.
Secondary traffic
principally associated with
warehousing and distribution of a
variety of commodity types is the
predominant freight traffic in the
study area. Other categories show highly diversified types of commodity movements.
Findings of the transportation system performance evaluation in the Phase 1 Report are based on objective performance measures for congestion, safety, and accessibility. Existing congestion problems are almost exclusively within metropolitan counties, with concentrations in cities and towns and at select rural intersections. Road segments with accident rates that are well above the statewide average exist throughout the study area. Trucks handled approximately 75 percent of the tonnage, rail moved 24 percent and air cargo accounted for approximately one percent. This information will help guide the study team in defining potential system deficiencies and addressing transportation needs throughout the study area.
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